title: Occurrence of perfluorooctanoate and perfluorooctanesulfonate in the Korean water system: implication to water intake exposure.
abstract: Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) measured in surface running waters indicated the existence of different emission sources in eight main city basins. The tap water reflected the contamination pattern and levels in their corresponding source water basins. The daily intakes through tap water consumption ranged from <0.01 to 0.73 ng kg(-1) d(-1) for perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and <0.01 to 0.08 ng kg(-1) d(-1) for perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS). Tap water intake-derived exposure accounted for 8.6%-101% (for PFOA) and while <10% (for PFOS) of total daily exposure, which was estimated from Korean serum concentrations using a pharmacokinetic model. Our findings indicate that tap water intake could be an important contributor to PFOA exposure in Korean populations; accordingly, additional efforts are necessary to improve the removal efficiency of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the water purification process. However, more fundamentally the aim would be to reduce the discharge of PFCs from potential sources within the basin.
authors.affiliation: School of Earth and Environmental Sciences (BK-21), Seoul National University, Kwanak-gu Shilim-dong, Seoul 151-742, South Korea. skkim89@gmail.com
authors.forename: Seung-Kyu
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Lim
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Kho
authors.forename: Mahiba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shoeib
authors.forename: Kyoung-Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyung-Ryul
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yong-Seung
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D002210:Caprylates / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D056910:Republic of Korea; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D002210:Caprylates; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid